Charles John Brown

Very Rev Dr Charles John Brown DD (1806–1884) was a 19th-century Scottish minister, who served as Moderator of the General Assembly for the Free Church of Scotland from 1872 to 1873.

He was born in Aberdeen on 21 August 1806, the youngest son of Alexander Brown, a bookseller and twice Lord Provost of Aberdeen, himself son of Rev William Brown of Craigdam. His mother was Catharine Chalmers. His older brothers included David Brown.

He was ordained at Anderston Church in Glasgow in 1831. He then lived at 272 St Vincent Street in Glasgow city centre. In 1837 he translated to the New North Church in Edinburgh, his position at Anderston being filled by Rev Alexander Neill Somerville.

In the Disruption of 1843 he left the established Church of Scotland to join the Free Church of Scotland. He then became minister of West St Giles in Edinburgh. He then lived in a flat at 15 Buccleuch Place, near George Square, Edinburgh. The church was completed in 1849 and he remained there all his life. It was designed by Thomas Hamilton. It is now known as the Bedlam Theatre.

In 1872 he succeeded Rev Robert Elder as Moderator of the General Assembly.

He was photographed by Hill & Adamson in 1843.

• The Divine Glory of Christ (1868)
• The Ministry: Addresses to Students of Divinity
• The Word of Life(1874)